Some parts of the United States consistently suffer from natural disasters. When hailstorms and strong winds strike, there is a good chance the roof will suffer. The devastating effects of a hailstorm could be severe roof damage and as a result, a Bryan roof may need to be replaced. As long as the damage is caused by an act of nature and the home is covered by homeowner’s property damage insurance, a claim can be filed with the insurance company for the damage caused to the roof. Yet many homeowners may be unsure how to process an insurance claim.
Using covered insurance benefits can be quite readily handled. The following are ways a homeowner can handle the process for these benefits.
- Conduct an inspection – If the roof has been damaged, immediately call a roofing contractor to check and validate the damage. These contractors are experts in detecting and assessing roof damage, so their expertise is highly valued.
- Inform the Insurance Company – After a roofing contractor has assessed the damage and concluded that the damage to the roof warrants filing a claim, the insurance company should be contacted and a claim filed. After obtaining basic claim information, they will send an adjuster to evaluate the Bryan roofing damage and write an estimate. It is helpful if the roofing contractor can be there with the insurance company adjuster so that both of them hopefully can be in agreement with the damage and resulting cost estimate to repair the roof. Be mindful that in these cases, the adjuster has the final word on approval of the damage and repair cost.
- Amount of Initial Disbursement – After the insurance claim has been approved, the insurance company generally makes an initial disbursement of 50 to 75 percent of the estimated total repair cost. This is to ensure that any initial repair costs will be covered.
- Final Disbursement – Once the roof has been repaired or replaced, the insurance company will send the final disbursement to pay the roofing contractor for the balance due on the job.
Filing an insurance claim can appear to be an intimidating process; however, it is the only way to receive any payment from the insurance company and the only way to be free from out-of-pocket expenses for roof repairs. If the damage to a roof is caused by nature, it is a homeowner’s right to file a claim and receive financial assistance from their insurance company. Even if the damage is minimal, the homeowner can still file an insurance claim.
It is initially helpful to know the extent of damage and calling a roofing professional to first assess the damage can put a homeowner onto an early path to file that insurance claim so the repair process can begin. Understanding the process before it happens will make the claims process that much smoother and allow that damaged Bryan roof to be repaired even sooner!